welcome to "al jazeera america." i'm richelle carey. here are the stories we're foming for you. tensions rising in east asia where south korea has declared its own air defense zone. south africa begins its farewell to legendary freedom fighter nelson mandela with a day of prayer and reflection. and brace yourself. scenes like this are happening across the country today. increasing tensions in asia, south korea has declared an expanded air defense zone that

overlaps with once announced last month by china. it includes a strategic area disputed by the two countries. al jazeera's terry faucet reports. >> it may be about lines in the air but extend over land and sea. this is what south korea called the submerged rocky reef with a scientific research station and under the very obvious de facto control. the strategic waters and rocks are claimed by beijing and seoul as part of their exclusive economic zones. now south korea has asserted its rights in the air above. >> translator: the new korean air space defense identification zone has been modified to be in line with the country's flight information region, which does not overlap with neighboring countries. this modified zone includes the air space over ioto waters. >> it's two weeks after china's surprise extension of the air defense zone encroaching on those of south korea and japan.

the new korean zone extending deeper into the enlarged chinese one. the government won't goez new rules requiring foreign aircraft to identify themselves until december 15th allowing for consultation with neighbors. >> translator: we believe this will not significantly impact our relationship with china and japan as we try to work for peace and cooperation in northeast asia. >> reporter: south korea's president discussed the plans with u.s. vice president joe biden during his visit last week. the u.s. state department has declared itself on the same page at seoul. china, which released pictures of recent military exercises on sunday, has had an expanded south korean zone has nothing to do with maritime jurisdiction adding it would stay in communication with seoul. south korea has long wants to x extend the air defense zone. china's actions last month gave them the chance to do that. it leaves them with three

overlapping zones belonging to china, japan and south korea. the coming days could allow for talks on how to manage a complex state of affairs. they could set the stage for what nobody wants, an accidental conflict in increasingly contested skies. a team of u.n. weapons inspectors arrive in iran today to tour a nuclear facility. it's the first time that a u.n. team is able to visit the site in more than two years. meanwhile, president obama has said that the pursuit of a long-standing deal with iran to monitor their nuclear weapons is as likely to fail as it is to succeed. he was speaking at a pro-israel forum in washington. iran has agreed to temporarily roll back the enrichment of uranium, which could be used to build a nuclear bomb but also to generate nuclear energy. iran calls their program peaceful. >> we have to not constantly assume that it's not possible for iran, like any country, to

change over time. it may not be likely. you know, if you asked me what is the likelihood that we're able to arrive at the end state that i was just describing earlier, i wouldn't say that it's more than 50/50. we have to try. >> iran, the u.s. and five other world powers will meet in the coming days to discuss implementing a six-month agreement on iran's nuke prarm. rouhani said the deal has already benefitted his country's economy. remembering nelson mandela. today marks the beginning of a week of remembrance. they have a day of prayer and reflection. earlier today the mandela foundation held a service. services like this were held throughout the country and really around the world.

alan joins us life from south africa. alan, how are people paying tribute to mandela? from what i hear and see behind is any indication, they're doing it by celebrating. >> reporter: absolutely, richelle. the folks here in soweto are handling the party end of that equati equation. they've been doing it for days now and they'll go long into the night, too, and through the wee hours. it's a tremendous scene. for the more sub dued and reflective part of the formula, the national day of prayer. we attended mass at a huge catholic church not far from him. the population of the congregation in church today, the sounds of soweto, of a

nation on what is not just another sunday. ♪ >> reporter: the congregation of the biggest catholic church in this largest christian country celebrates nelson mandela in song and prayer. as similar services in all faiths are held across south africa in a day of reflection. >> we gather here to thank god for his life. we thank god for the blessings that he bestowed on this world through the life of madiba. >> reporter: this church holds a special place in the history of the anti-apartheid movement. tchs a sanctuary for protesters, a sanctuary sometimes violated by police. >> reporter: you go inside the church. it was very terrible. >> reporter: father sebastian shows us the bullet holes from the confrontations decades ago. a few of them remain intentionally unfilled.

>> we could have filled them all, but we kept a few for just a reminder why this church is so important and why the history of this country is so important. >> reporter: that was the message this congregation heard today, remember mandela certainly but move forward. a message resonating for black and white. >> he's already paved the way for us. so we have to walk on the path. >> i think it's porpt to remember that mandela liberated all south africans. he liberated ones were being oppressed. >> reporter: resonating from those old enough to remember the fight and those too young to know nelson mandela as anything but legend. >> he died and we don't know what's coming next. >> reporter: does the future worry you? >> yes. >> now at least you see everybody is in the street and celebrating. how do we sustain that and translate it into correcting some of the mistakes made since

he left the office. >> reporter: the mandela family released a statement today and part of it read, we've always been mindful we share him with the rest of south africa, africa and the world. well, the world is coming to pay a call on tuesday. confirmed tonight that president obama and 27 other heads of state will be here for the official memorial service on tuesday. that memorial service, by the way, will be broadcast on 90 big screens around this country. richelle. >> i would imagine so, and broadcast here as well. thank you so much. the commemorations are worldwide. many are gathered at the first african methodist episcopal church in los angeles to pay their respects. brian rooney is there and joins us with more now to tell us about how they're remembers nelson mandela at that church. brian, tell us more. >> reporter: richelle, this is one of the most important churches in all of los angeles. it's just a community center. there's a special service for

mandela going on inside right now, and maybe we can look at a few pictures of that as we talk. people here feel a great connection to nelson mandela. this they look to him and thought about him and prayed for him all the years in prison. while the american civil rights movement was going on here in this country and here in los angeles. he came to visit the first ame churn only a few months after he was released from prison in south africa. they have pictures of him on the walls inside. it was a big moment for them here. we did get a chance earlier today to speak to one of the parishioners about meeting nelson mandela. >> i'll always remember that. what a blessing to meet this gentle man. more than anything in life, the one that taught us to forgive. the hardest thing to do in life is to forgive, but he told us to

forgive. it's the most important asset of our life, to forgive and move on, yes. he is my hero. he is my papa. >> reporter: as you can tell, she, too, was born in aftrica bt been here for 27 years. they're remembering nelson mandela here today but remember him at the first ame church virtually forever. richelle. >> can you talk more about the special connection this church teams to nelson mandela? >> reporter: it's because he came here. his grandsons came here. they felt this connection in the movement for liberation and black civil rights both here and in south africa. they communicated with each other. they felt for each other. so they felt like they -- still and feel like they were part of the same struggle. >> all right. brian rooney reporting live from

los angeles. thank you very much. earlier i spoke with robert spencer. he and his wife, actress, alfrie woodward set up an organization in south africa. they talked about mandela's image as a humble man. >> nowadays, we think of him as this sort of universally adored and respected figure. you know, the west -- the united states and our allies only came around to that position fairly recently. so some of the languages used in describing him now is certainly apt. he was a man of peace and a man of principle and all that, but a couple of times i heard people talk about his life being a study in humility.

although he understood humility as a virtue and even practiced it in aspects of his life, this was not a humble man. one of the things that is getting less mentioned now, and you know, it's somewhat appropriate, i suppose, is just how enormously powerful he was as a personality and how it goes beyond courage. he had a kind of resolve that very, very few people have. the fact he was already negotiating with p.w.bota who is one of the most racist afrikaner you'd want to meet. even though mandela was still in a prison cell, he knew that he had to talk to this man because that's the kind of personal power and moral leverage he had. even from a prison cell he was

already exerting this enormous strength and power out into the world to the point where, you know, the head of the apartheid regime is like, we need to start talking to him. >> roderick spencer. still ahead, storms across the nation and an update on the worsening situation in central african republic.

i'm phil torrez. coming up this week on techknow. >> shots fired. a neighborhood under attack. >> last warning, okay? i don't want to put you in handcuffs. >> now the innovative technology that can spot a stolen car parked in the middle of a city block. >> there were multiple gunshots fired. >> it can track a gunman thousands of miles away. >> if you can track it then you can predict it. severe winter storms are causing power outages and caused so much trouble with traffic across the country. temperatures in north dakota plunged to 20 degrees below zero over the weekend. winter weather advisories are in effect from vermont to virginia as the system moves east. we have more on all of this weather across the country.

jaleel la. >> the conditions across washington, d.c. to new york city are alley deteriorating. look at the traffic cam right now. the roadways empty. they should be empty. look at that snow piled up on the roadways. that's the scene in washington, d.c. very different scene in new york city. cloudy skies for sure. don't worry, the snow and the sleet is on the way, and temperatures are going to plummet as we track on into the evening hours. take a look at the map here behind me. as a matter of fact, this is i-70 just east of i-270 right outside of frederick, maryland. the roads are looking horrible right now. so folks are highly advised to use caution on the roadways. temperatures right now, mostly below freezing from pittsburgh to philadelphia, washington, d.c., richmond around 33 where we saw a great deal of snow. i-81 is targeted as we track into tonight really into tomorrow. we look at snow, sleet, freezing rain as we track into tonight

and tomorrow. this is a very impressive band producing snow across central portions of pennsylvania. this is the band that already produced the snow across washington, d.c., and it's making its way towards new york city and will continue to come along the i-94 corridor. slow go for travelers because folks are getting into car accidents out there. everywhere you see a black diamond is a car accident, and that was earlier today. we have seen more as we tracked into the afternoon. i want folks to be careful on the roadways. we're going to continue to see that slushy mix tonight into tomorrow morning out there along i-80, also along the new york state throughway and i-95 targeted washington, d.c. temps tonight drop down to a low of 30 through tonight into tomorrow, and by monday morning it will switch over to rain. a high of 43 through the day, and we'll see a mix on tuesday as well. in new york city tonight is when we look at that snow and that sleet to begin, so the roads are going to be a bit treacherous and back to work on monday and

it's all rain. take it easy out there. the french president issued a veiled warning to the president of central african republic. president hollande says it will be tough to keep him in place. 400 bodies have been found ft capital in the last three days. 10,000 have fled the capital and officials ordered everyone the off the streets except peacekeepers and the presidential guard. we're in bangui, and a warning, some images may be disturbing. >> reporter: french soldiers on foot patrol in bangui. this is new for the city and welcomed by many. they're here to reassure people enough to open up shops. at the moment there's no food or medicine. the most the french can do about the growing sectarian violence between muslims and christians. >> translator: we muslims have been here for 200 years.

they're killing us every day. antibalkan many lish yas killed 260 people and slaughtered us. >> reporter: this is where many christians are sheltering. they're close to bangui's airport under the protection of french and african forces. there will be another two and a half thousand african soldiers here soon. they'll head out to different parts of the country where hundreds of thousands of people have lost their homes. too late for the people in this hospital. it was evacuated after an attack by the fighters from the mainly muslim seleka fwrup. this hospital is completely now. it used to treat hundreds of people. what happened here on friday night and in the early hours of saturday was horrific. selleck ka sources went inside and dragged out injured people here killing at least ten.

nine months ago the rebel group seleka marched into bangui bringing with it thousands of foreign fighters. the man that led that rebellion is holed up in this military base. he won't accept his power is slipping away. how can you continue to call yourself head of state of a country that you have absolutely no control over? >> translator: it's too much to say i have no control. i control my men. the men i can't control are not my men. they're score settling after ten years and the all the crime he's committed that he has not yet answered for. >> reporter: antibalkan includes members of the party from francois bozize. they're outside bangui waiting for reinforcements, and the

people here are waiting for the next battle. this time around, the french and african forces have a chance at preventing more bloodshed. al jazeera, bangui. tensions mounts in thailand after the country's main opposition party resigned from parliament today. the party says the elected government is no longer accepted by the people. at least five people have been killed and hundreds injured since massive anti-government protests began last month. demonstrators have called on the prime minister to resign. protesters in kiev knocked down a statue of vladimir lenin as outrage mounted against the government's suspension of talks with the european union. numerous statues of lenin have been removed from kiev. this is the third straight week of protests in ukraine. al jazeera's tim friend has more. >> reporter: they poured into independence square in the thousands. they know this demonstration has

to be big and loud to sustain the pressure on president yanukovych. on the edge of the crowd, young men prepared tactics for the worst outcome, another violent confrontation with riot police. a few streets away, squads of officers lined up in front of presidential office. last week there was chaos here, many people injured in a police charge. now there's a standoff. riot police at the ready at one end of the street with their shields in case of further trouble. at the other end of this 200 meters of snowy no-man's-land are the protesters with their flags. they're also waiting in preparation. everyone is hoping there won't be a repeat of last week's violence. a solitary priest hopes his presence brings calm. >> reporter: i hope the country elects a new government and i hope the blood of our youth

won't be spilled. >> reporter: they want the resignation of yanukovych and closer ties with the european union. they've occupied government buildings, but they now face a deadline to leave by tuesday morning. no one's in a mood to give in. >> translator: i want a new government that listens to the people and doesn't treat us like animals. >> translator: we are here to fight for our rights so that our kids are brought up in a good country without corruption and where everything is fair. >> reporter: yanukovych believes he has enough support to survive with backing from moscow. the protesters realize this crisis has now reached a crucial moment. tim friend, al jazeera, kiev. come upping on "al jazeera america," enter a word beyond your imagination, the cuts edge of imagery and the research it

supports. power of the people until we restore our freedo

welcome back to "al jazeera america." i'm richelle carey. here are today's headlines. people across south africa and the world are paying tribute to the legacy of nelson mandela. religious services held across the globe to remember one of the greatest leaders our time. increasing tensions in asia over disputed islands in the east china sea. they're he can up and downs the air defense zone to overlap with one recently announced by china. the move by south korea goes into effect on december 15th. more french troops are in central african republic to help stabilize the former french colony. nearly 400 people have been killed in the past three days and thousands have fled the capital. it looks like the ultimate video game console, but computer scientists at the university of illinois at chicago are taking 3d computer imaging to the extreme to help better understand the research. we have the report.

>> reporter: in this stunning cavern of pixels data comes to life. the flight skims the surface of mars. known as the cave two, this large scale virtual reality environment was dreamed up about i computer scientists at the electronic visualization lab at the university of illinois chicago. >> it's like a projected room or war room where you hang up pieces of paper and photographs and you take -- tape them to the wall so you see lots of different data at the same time. today all data is stored in computer. rather than print them out and tape them to the walls, we wanted electronic walls where you could display information. >> the cave two can transport psychiatrists inside their patient's brains using data from an mri. these neural connections in the brain can provide critical

notings of how it man nests in the mind. >> you get a different% tich like alice in wonderland where you can be big or you can shrink down the rabbit hole. you get different understanding of the data when you look at it in different sizes and relationships. >> researchers say the applications are seemingly endless, but interdisciplinary collaboration brings it to life through three-dimensional graphical representations. in 2009 nasa funded the endurance freedom project to study extreme underwater environments. they dropped a 6 million rob bot into the center of antarctica's lake bonnie to collect data from the deepest point. >> we had the robot running active sonar through a sick salt layer that made the math tricky. what we got back is over 50 million points. >> university of illinois professor peter doran headed up

the expedition. >> this way we can build up a three-dimensional map so it's a data set like any other in the lake environment. >> that data is providing key insights into what kind of life can be sustained in icy bodies of water beyond our planet. >> for instance, on the moon of jupit jupiter, europa with an icy shell and it's almost certain it has an ocean underneath. s in a small scale analog for what that life might be that you find there. on earth everywhere you find water, you find life. >> cave two and it's 3d visualizations are one small step for computer scientists and a giant leap for researchers. thank you for watching "al jazeera america." i'm richelle carey. for updates about the day, check out our website, aljazeera.com.

look what's happening in washington, d.c. right now. try to bundle up.